The Proposal
by FuzzieEars67
Summary: Also known as a bunch of one-shotters that revolve around Tony/Pepper because there just aren't enough of them in the world... Read and enjoy, Pepperony fans.
1. Chapter 1

**AN**: I think a lot of girls sit and write fan fiction because they want a man to do it to them… I don't particularly blame them.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own things, just write things.

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"Pepper… please." Tony pleaded, running a frustrated hand through his hair. Pepper sat on her stool in the kitchen, unmoving, unwavering. She sipped her coffee soundlessly and relished the warm cream as it grazed her throat. She looked up at him coolly with a gaze of blue.

"Tony. I'm _not _your date, I'm your girlfriend that doesn't want to go to a gala of any sort." She took another swig of coffee. Tony sighed.

"You _are_ my date, okay? I want you to be my date. Pleeeeeeease be my date…You should be proud to be with me." He sat next to her, resting his elbows on the countertop and looking at her with sad, tired eyes. "Pepper, please. I need you." His hand squeezed her own. She sighed and smiled.

"You have such a way with words, Mister Stark… I suppose I'll be your date tonight." She looked up at him. His smile was beaming. "I will say, however," her voice was stern, "that if I am ditched on another rooftop, embarrassed or not danced with, I will never attend another gala event and as your assistant, I will do everything in my power to wash you down the tubes." His smile never escaped.

"Yes, Miss Potts, I know. No blondes, brunettes or redheads besides you, no loud, embarrassing comments to Rhodey, no more than three glasses of scotch, no flirting, etcetera, etcetera." He shook his head, "but I follow your rules… even when you aren't looking." She smiled proudly and lightly scratched the back of his neck.

"You're such a good boy," Pepper giggled. "Jarvis, what is the time?"

"_The time is 5:03 P.M., Miss Potts. The gala will begin in two hours and fifty-seven minutes_."

"Thank you, Jarvis!"

"_You're quite welcome, Miss Potts_." Tony looked up at her.

"Shower?" He offered, his eyes brimming with passion. She quirked an eyebrow at him, grabbed his hand and dragged him to his bedroom. "I've never seen you so excited about something as simple as a shower… perhaps I should suggest this more often." Tony called behind her, matching her footsteps like a shadow. They passed through his room to the master bath, where Pepper promptly yanked him in and closed the door behind them.

"Pepper, I live here, you don't have to close the door while-" Her mouth crashed into his, ravaging him, sucking the air out of him and pressing him to the wall. Suddenly, she was gone. Her hands were working furiously at the buttons of his shirt, almost tearing them out of the heated fabric.

"No thinking, no talking, just…" She pulled the last button out of the hole and tore the shirt over his shoulders, "sex me." Her tone was that of a command. A smile graced his lips.

"You don't have to ask me twice…" A small gasp escaped her as he, almost savagely, tore her shirt over her head and pulled her head to his, her lips tingling with his saliva. Her hands were at his waistband, pulling and yanking his dress pant off him at a rate he would inquire about later. She grabbed at what was hers between his thighs and smiled against him as he growled into her mouth. Her skirt went missing shortly afterwards, and she thought she heard him mumble, "Shower," into her neck. As the two blindly stumbled to the shower, a snap sounded and a black bra fell at their feet. He started the water with a free hand as he ran the other between her legs. She can feel him smile against her at his new found, sopping, tender treasure. The room began to cloud with a steamy, breath-taking fog that seemed to strangle the both of them. Pepper broke away to lead him into the stall, looking at him half-seriously upon their entrance.

"We should actually shower…eventually." Tony nodded, but said nothing. He was instantly back to her neck, her lips and wet center, pushing her back against a cool tiled wall. A moan escaped her lips as he pushed his fingers into her, two and three at a time.

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**AN**: I am so sorry, I will write more - there aren't many Tony/Pepper fics out there, and I'm trying to make that a trend… but it's late, I'm exhausted, I'm so sorry I'll get to more later. Please review, if you don't like it, I'll just write something else for you to enjoy.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** So, I got this idea from an icon I saw? It's pretty pathetic. And I know I promised to write more of the first chapter, but I mean, c'mon… I really need the inspiration to do so… and this came to my head first anyway.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own them... I just write about them. Hopefully Hollywood will catch on.

It was loud. Loud enough to _blind_ someone. Even your grandma would be like, "Turn that shit off!" Pepper grumbled and rubbed her hand over her face. Frustrated, she stood from the couch and briskly walked down stairs to the shop. She pressed in her code and the glass door slid away, giving her all access to one of the most dangerous places in the entire world.

"Tony!" She called over the music. Pause. Nothing. Agitation level: 65/100. Pepper furrowed her brows and stepped out of the workshop. "Jarvis!" She barked.

"Yes, Miss Potts?" Jarvis chimed in, apparently not noticing her tone.

"Turn off that music, now!" The last word was laced with venom." Pause.

"Miss Potts, Mister Stark has ordered that his music is to play continuously while he is inside the basement. Would you like me to override his orders?" Jarvis was such a sweet thing sometimes.

"Yes, override Mister Stark's orders." She was almost seething. What nerve he had to play stupid, horrible music at such an hour while she was trying to get HIS shit in order! How dare he?

The music stopped. Pepper's anger subsided a little… but not enough to keep her from yelling at him, calling him a prick and stomping her feet. She stomped over to his bottom half, mostly because the top half was underneath her favorite corvette, and almost wanted to smile as she heard him swear.

"Jarvis! What the fuck happened to my music? Seriously, what-" He rolled out from underneath the vehicle and sat up. "Oh," he breathed, "Pepper, what a pleasant surprise!" He ran a hand through his hair and stood to meet her. He smiled.

Trying to keep her anger in check, she stabbed a finger into his chest. "WHO," her eyes flared, "do you think you are?! I'm sitting in there, trying to get all my work done for the day, dealing with all of your SHIT because you _can't _do it on your own, I'm working _so_ hard, I'm trying _so_ hard and how do you show your appreciation? You blast that terrible, tasteless shit and I can't focus long enough to respond to e-mails. Christ." Her tirade ended with a thumb and fingers massaging her temples. "Seriously, Tony, just turn your shit down. It's Friday, I just want to get this done and crash." He only stopped smiling to pretend he was focused on what she was saying. His eyes were intent on her.

"You didn't even listen." She sighed. Tony perked.

"Uhh, what was that?" He asked. Another sigh.

"I should've known." Her shoulders drooped. She was disappointed.

"What did you say? I can't even hear you." Tony cupped a hand around his ear. Her eyes widened.

"OH, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am, that's why. Duh." Dumbfounded, she just stared at him. Agitation level: 45/100 and rising.

"Sorry, Pepper… Can't turn off awesome." Suddenly, her dumbfounded state turned into rage and her eyes flashed.

"Tony Stark, you prick!" She launched at him, fists flying, teeth bared, even her skin felt hot. She beat her fists on his chest, his arms and stomach. Her fury rained down on him like a hot, pounding rain, but instead of water droplets, it was like bricks or big rocks with knuckles. He let out a yelp and managed to wrap his arms around her, halting her flurry of fists and shouts. Out of breath, she faintly struggled against him, but found her efforts to be futile, and stopped. She rested her head against his chest, burying her nose in his shirt briefly and sighed again.

"I hate it…this, you." She groaned. "You always win." He smiled brightly as he placed his cheek atop her head. His arms hadn't moved from the bear hug he had trapped her in… he listened for her heartbeat. It was fluttering, as if she had just run a mile on her hands and her breaths came in pants, but they slowly calmed and her heartbeat suddenly calmed.

"Jarvis, time?" Tony asked.

"The time is 4:30 P.M., sir." Tony breathed in her scent. Was that something from his shower? Really?

"Let's call it a day, Pepper," He released her from his hug, to which she frowned, "and go get changed. We're going dancing tonight." Pepper made a face.

"What?" He asked, confused. "Don't you like to dance with me? C'mon, we'll go someplace cool! We'll dirty dance." The last three were a purr. Giggling, Pepper nodded.

"Okay… okay. We'll dance… but we won't drink." She reminded lightly. "_We_ will get drunk from dancing… too much dancing." Her laugh was genuine; his heart skipped a beat. She turned to walk out of the shop, calling to him over her shoulder, "I'm going to go put my things away and head straight for the shower… I don't even know what to wear… are we going to eat while we're out? We should eat while we're out. I'm starved, I don't think I've eaten anything since breakfast… how did I miss lunch?" Her voice trailed off as she climbed the stairs. He watched her trot away, hands on his hips, a smirk on his face.

'_She's perfect.'_

"Pepper!" Came Tony's outburst. The sound of heels clicking on metal steps died. Tony cleared his throat.

"Uhh make sure you wear something that's going to look good on my floor, too!" Pause. The clicking resumed and a snicker bounced off the walls.

As soon as he knew she was gone, he collected his tools and put them back into their proper boxes and drawers. He gently pulled out a drawer to a small organizer and pulled out the black, velvety box. Hesitantly, he ran his fingers over its surface as if it would shatter at the slightest movement. Closing his eyes, he could see her in a fabulous gown she had purchased for herself, her strawberry blonde hair loose at her shoulders, her smile beaming. He could feel her emotions as he opened the tiny box and revealed its contents, her tears, her happiness, her breathless _"Yes,"_ as she pulled him up to her and crashed her mouth to his; the moment was theirs.

"Tonight," He promised himself as he tucked the box into his pocket. With a wicked grin, he jogged his way out of the workshop and up the stairs.

'_Misses Stark,'_ Tony reminded himself, the words rolling around in his head like they had been there for years, _'I can get used to that.'_

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**AN:** I am so cheesy/lame… I hope it was enjoyable. But if you didn't like it, tough shit, it's 3:00 in the morning here and I'm running way low on steam. Review if you'd like!


	3. Chapter 3

**AN**: And again... more shit written at 3:00 in the morning... I wish I could have ideas to write things at times that were NOT 3:00 A.M...

**Disclaimer:** I don't own things, I just write things.

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His nightmares had finally come true. Dark chocolate eyes watched as the cap to his toothpaste spiraled around the sink and finally, fell into the open drain. With a heavy sigh, he continued about brushing his teeth and washing the brush and his mouth clean with the tap water. Grumbling, he took a long metal prong thing from behind the toilet, whatever it was called, and jammed it into the drain. He felt the prongs wrap around what he hoped was the cap and yanked it out. Fortunately, it had been the cap, but he tossed it in the wastebasket, disgusted, and put "THE CLAW" back behind the toilet.

He trudged to the kitchen and fell into a chair, burying his head in his arms atop the table. Pepper took immediate notice from her place at the coffee pot and pad to the table.

"Good morning, sunshine." Came her quiet greeting. She sat next to him, setting a mug of coffee in front of his hunched figure. He looked up at her sadly, not making an effort to do much more. Silence grew between them like weeds. She sipped her mug, often closing her eyes to relish the richness of her morning beverage.

"Alright, Tony… what gives? You're in a terrible mood." She set her mug down with a crack. He sighed.

"I always feel like shit this time of the year." He took a slug of his coffee. "It always hurts, every year, the same feeling over and over again…" Compassion coated her eyes.

"I'll drive?" She offered as she ran her hand through his hair. He smiled sadly. "It's alright. I'll drive. Let's leave soon, I need to get this out of the way." His voice was echoed by the inside of his mug as he drank through what was left of his coffee. Leaning over, he kissed her generously before standing to exit. "I'm going to change into something more presentable… I assume you will be ready as well?"

"Yeah… I've got a change of clothes." She pulled at her pajamas and smiled gently. He ruffled her hair and left; she knew he was smiling.

Half an hour later put them in a silent ride in the Audi, pulling into silent gates over a silent stretch of land. It was vast, beautiful, ghostly; a choking fog had settled over the land as if a storm had just passed. The two climbed out of the car, but Pepper only made it as far as the hood of the car before sitting. Tony slowly made his way to the gravesites, yellow tulips in hand. Pepper watched with fascination, just as she did every year, as Tony knelt before the graves and placed the flowers near the headstones gracefully. He would stay knelt for what seemed like hours before he would stand, come back to the car and they would continue their silent ride. She could feel her heartbeat behind her eyes.

She approached him, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Tony…" She whispered, grabbing at his leather jacket. He grabbed her hand and held it in his own, but never broke his gaze with the granite headstones. Finally, he stood.

"You know," His voice seemed to cut through the fog like a knife, "my mom was the only thing in this world that my dad really valued. He cherished her more than anything else that he had," his words almost seemed bitter. "I think I know how he feels." He grabbed Pepper's hand. She smiled faintly, but it was hollow. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, he kissed her knuckles lightly, his dark eyes holding a gaze with her crystalline ones.

They kissed. Longing, sweet and determined, their kiss lasted a lifetime. She kept her hand in his lap on the ride home and as they climbed the stairs from the basement to the mansion, soft music played in the background. They shared a dance, begging, holding onto one another as if they might vanish at a moment's notice. He rubbed the spot on her left ring finger, making a point of it, and continuing their dance. Safe in his arms, she allowed herself to let go of all things that were reality and fall into a dimension that was entirely Tony and Pepper. She breathed his name into the collar of his shirt. He kissed her hair.

"I love you."

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**AN:** This was kind of pointless/dumb. I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Unlike other "shippers" I keep true to my TS/PP pairings without damaging their relationship. Screw everyone else, I'm tired of bitches being like "TS/PP!!" and then making them hate each other in their story... even if the writing is decent, the spelling errors are minimal, and the plot is okay, when people put their drama/hate in the TS/PP relationship, it just pisses me off. Stop it!


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** This was actually the first thing I wrote for Ironman, but I was afraid to post it on because I didn't really have a good story at the time and I didn't want to be flamed on the spot for it. I hope it's better now, though!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own things, just write things.

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She was tired - no, exhausted. Furious. _Stark_-raving mad. Irrationally angry, but she didn't really mind it. She could feel her nose begin to redden as she continued to sob... but they couldn't have been the easy, teary sobs that were so quiet, they were almost inaudible - no, they had to be the choppy kind that seemed to punch her in the stomach every few seconds. CNN and Fox News continued to reel post-bombing images taken by their affiliates in Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan or one of those stupid, sandy places that seemed to attract him like rednecks to Walmart. Black and grey smoke puffed its way through the air and fires were enveloping cars, mailboxes and poorly made homes. People were screaming in a language she didn't know or care to know and a shouting reporter managed to squeeze out, "Could the Ironman have done it again?" She continued to cry.

"Stop, stop, stop..." She chanted, hoping to rid herself of the sobs. She hugged the pillow from his bed, staining it with mascara and sadness, and watched the television with horror.

"Jarvis...?" She called meekly. A pause. Silence. She cried more.

She hadn't realized she had fallen asleep until she heard what sounded like a sonic boom, lots of clattering and noise, swearing and growling and finally, the buzzing and squeaking of the various Ironman parts and pieces being taken apart. Her heart lept. He was home, and he was alive. She peeled her face off the tear-soaked pillow and attempted to straighten up a little before going to meet him. She smoothed her hands over her hair, her skirt and her face as she hurried downstairs in bare feet. When she arrived at the bottom, she peered around various metal obstacles and cars. She breathed his name in relief as she caught sight of him, and quickly pressed her code into the sensor to get inside. He turned to face the sliding glass, and his face softened as she approached.

"Pepper..." He began, wiping the sweat from his forehead. She crossed the room in a second and had her arms around his neck, squeezing the life out of him. She buried her face between her bicep and his neck, mumbling things he couldn't particularly hear. He wrapped his arms around her waist, a little taken aback. This had happened like, a million times? What was new?

"Tony, you rat bastard, I really thought I had lost you this time... there was so much fire and shit going on over there... you didn't even tell me where you were going to go!" She sniffed. He smiled.

"Sorry, Pepper. I'll be sure to notify you directly before I leave again." His voice was laced with mock-sarcasm as he trotted away, pulling her with him. She pushed him to a halt, her blue eyes burning.

"I hate you, you relentless ass! You couldn't leave it alone, could you? You just HAD to be the knight in shining armor, the hero, the - " Tony covered her mouth with a hand and pressed her to him with the other.

"Shhh... you don't mean it... you know you don't mean it. I said I was sorry, please Pepper, can we let it go? It's not like I caused anyone any damage... more than they deserved... and I came back home in one piece, back to you, to the sanctity of our home. _We_ are in here and _they_ are out there... and I won't go fight with them anymore. For now."

Pepper grumbled, but said nothing. Tears were still fresh on her face and her eyes were brimming with irritation, but she made no move to fix things. Tony dragged her out of the basement and upstairs.

"Goddamn, I'm hungry... can we go to BK?" He asked as he turned to her. He gently wiped the tears from her face, "Please?" His dark eyes sparkled.

"WHAT?" Pepper exclaimed, stepping back. "I just spent the last, like, I don't know, TEN HOURS sitting around, sobbing, not getting ANYthing done, not returning phone calls, not responding to e-mails, not scheduling things, just watching Fox News, and hoping I'd hear anything at all from you and then you just NONCHALANTLY fly back into the garage, give a shitty apology and then ask if we can go to a fast food restaurant?!" Tony frowned.

"...Even Ironman eats BK." He stared at her blankly. She snarled. He sighed. "Pepper, honey, I have enough money to own Burger King and all of its employees, okay? Can we just go, please?" She didn't budge. "C'mon, I love you." He tried.

An hour later left the left at least one of them fed, happy and back at home, sitting on the couch. Not talking, not watching television; nothing, just staring out the windows in front of them as a wild storm battered the city below. Raindrops hit and streaked down the glass panes as blood or tears might, only stopping for a split second to showcase its misery to the world. Silence, then a flash of light and a large crack in the sky. Pepper wrapped her arms around herself.

_'C'mon, just look at me...'_ he pleaded silently. She wouldn't.

He scooted over the couch and put his arms around her shoulders. He felt her sigh, but she made no move to return the hug. He kissed her temple and head, hoping to get some sort of reaction out of her.

"Pepper..." He whined. She looked at him.

"You're a real fuckwad sometimes, you know?" Her words seemed so cold. "You mean so much to me... can't you see that? It tears me apart to think I've lost you for good when you run off like that... you couldn't even tell me you were leaving." She turned into him and buried her head in his chest. He kissed her softly, but it was fleeting. Resting his head atop hers, he inhaled her scent deeply.

"I'm sorry," He breathed, "I'm so sorry... you're right." Flash. Boom.

"You're my world, Tony... Don't take it away from me," Tears were rolling down her face, "Please don't take this away from me." The emotion was raw, wrapping its searing hot fingers around his heartstrings, from which they pulled.

"I love you." He mumbled into her hair. "I love you."

He held her tighter, his face buried in her hair and what he thought were his own tears biting behind his eyes. Before long, he had carried her to bed. She made no protest, but continued to cling to him, and even when he crawled in bed behind her. The storm outside continued to rage over Malibu, flashing, cracking and raining like a bitch. Tony wrapped his arms around her, just holding on, not making much more of it... just holding, tightly, securely, his head on her chest. His mind reeled of all the god awful things that could happen in the future and had happened in the past. It made him sick to think about, to know that Pepper would be an enemy's first target.

"I'm not going to let that stop me from loving you." He whispered into the night. She heard him clearly, and unfortunately, she knew exactly what he was talking about. Her heart swelled and she smiled – she trusted him to protect her, even if the ever-growing fear in the back of her mind was rearing its head most violently.

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**AN**: I didn't mean to make it sad, it just seemed right, you know? I'm still sticking to my roots... I'm sorry. Don't fight me.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN**: Oh wow! I started writing this after I read up on She Hulk and decided to blend the two, even though I HATE CROSS OVERS! I found this! They were in a comic together! What a coincidence. Seriously, here's the link I found.

/lit/comics/image/SheHulk18IronManDoom.jpg

Anyway, what she's wearing is her leotard thing that is really, super revealing? Of course she has like DDs and a 23" waist, so it looks awesome. By the way, why doesn't this website have an Incredible Hulk section? With the movie out, I figured us girls would be hitting that shit up like CRAZY.

And by the way, in case you were wondering... it's 2:36 AM EST.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own things. By the way, where the fuck is Culver University?

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Pepper gasped. The woman was _green_ and wearing the most ridiculous outfit she had ever seen.

"…You know, Miss Walters, super heroes should wear uniforms that are more," She heard Tony clear his throat, "Conservative." A giggle.

"Oh, Mister Stark… Why would I want to hide a body like this?" She pointed to her legs. "It would just be a crime." Pepper twitched. Her lip snarled. Eavesdropping was probably the worst thing that had ever happened to her… was it still eavesdropping if you were watching?

"Okay, Miss Walters, **I don't really care what you wear**. What did you come for?" Pepper could hear Tony lean back in his chair… signature. The question of the day, then leaning back in a thousand dollar chair and tilting his head toward the client, as if to be interested.

Obviously the air was serious because suddenly, open palms smacked down on Tony's desk. "Do you have any idea what is going on with Bruce? I know you've heard of Bruce," she flipped her emerald hair out of her eyes, "he's big and green and kills things that get in the way… can't miss him."

"I know of Bruce," Tony commented, "Smart man." Jen nodded.

"He's miserable… he can't keep living like this." She sighed, sitting. "I can't watch him kill himself. I don't care if others have to die." She shook her head, "Please, Tony, you have billions, _billions with a B_, **billions** of dollars and an entire lab full of scientists that blow NASA kids out of the water. Please, you have to help me find something to fix him," She pleaded, "Us." Her voice was small.

"Well, Miss Walters," Tony sighed, "I'm not sure if that's even possible. If there's anything that can be done, Bruce would've figured it out already, don't you think? HE is a scientist, for God's sake." Her expression faltered. He sighed again.

"How's Betty?" He asked. Jen shook her head.

"I don't know. I saw her on the news the other day for something… some biology lecture at Princeton." Pause. "She looks fine."

"She misses him." Pepper broke in, quietly. "I'm sorry, Tony. I have things for you to sign and then I'll be on my way." She hurried across the room.

"Don't be in such a hurry," He said, grabbing her wrist as soon as she was in range. "Stay. Chat. Miss Walters and I were just discussing Bruce Banner… as you have probably heard." He wrapped his arm around her hips. "Jen! Meet the love of my life, Pepper Potts." Jen smiled.

"Hi… I'm Jen. Bruce is my cousin." Pepper nodded.

"Betty said something about that the last time I saw her." Her voice was hushed. "I can't imagine how hard it is for her." A silence grew.

"So, are you not going to help me, Stark?" Tony could feel her anger flare somewhat, "Because if you don't help, I'm afraid Bruce is going to kill himself… I know he can't live like this much longer." Her jade eyes shimmered, "It hurts him so much to think of all the damage he causes when he… changes. Tony, you gotta help, c'mon." Jen balled her fists. Her eyes were pleading; they begged for an answer that she hadn't heard.

"Jen, look," He looked at her straight, "We can try, okay? We can try, but there can't be much hope." His voice got softer. "If there was anything to do, Bruce would have done it already, you know? And he and Betty back in the day would've been unstoppable."

Jen sighed in defeat, burying her face in her hands. When she looked up at him, her eyes flashed, but nothing more. She stood, nodded, thanked Tony for his time, and stomped out of the room. The two watched her leave. Outside of Tony's property, they watched her tear a tree out of the ground and toss it away. A cry rumbled throughout the mansion.

Tony closed his eyes, frustrated. "She knew it was coming." Pepper gently grasped his hand in hers.

"When you love someone," Her voice was still hushed, but had a know-it-all tone about it, "Your optimism keeps coming back. You never lose hope." He knew she was thinking about the three months he went missing. "And," her lip quivered, "She'll never give up." Tony held her close, placing his chin atop her head. His large, rough hands caressed her gently in a meaningful hug. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let her face fall to his chest. Papers fell, fluttered, landed. No words were spoken, but they knew.

Elsewhere, Betty Ross-Banner looked out her window. Rain was coming down in sheets and thunder rattled her uneven dinner table. A boiling cup of coffee in her hand was the only thing that kept her in touch with reality. Peacefully, she closed her eyes. Thoughts of Bruce sadly danced through her mind like a photo album. She could hear his voice calling her name, telling her to run, leave, get as far away as she could, don't look back, _**Betty, run!**_ Chestnut eyes shot open. Shuddering, she stumbled to the couch and flipped on the news to watch the weather, hoping to take her mind away from him. And there it was.

A picture of a giant, green man on the television screen. The new had managed to capture him in action. Los Angeles, the reporter said, three dead. Betty's eyes widened. The cup of coffee in her hand shivered.

"Oh my God." She grabbed her phone. "Pepper!" She cried into the plastic receiver, "Bruce is close by!" Betty was frantic, "Please, _please_ stall him, I need to see him!"

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**AN**: I needed to get my Betty/Bruce fix, okay? Don't judge me. I've wanted to write something about them since I saw the movie, which was great, by the way. Sorry, I hate crossovers and I know you do too, so I won't write more… I just… I mean, c'mon, I had the idea, then half way through this thing I saw the comic and I was like "!!" and I had to. I'm sorry. Forgive me?


	6. Chapter 6

Just before we get started here, I gotta shout out to some kids…

**Amber-Jade-James** : Hello, I love you. Thanks for writing nice reviews! Oh! I'm an El/Liv shipper, too! Man, they were just made for each other, weren't they? I'm hoping Dick Wolf stops being a jerk and allows them to get together, eventually… Kathy just lights a fire under my ass.

**Whashsmackity** : Have I ever told you how awesome I think your penname is? Seriously, it's ballin'. Also, your reviews inspire me a lot. Thank you for being thoughtful and actually taking the time to write them… Hahaha, your profile makes me laugh so much.

**Tamasit1**: Your praise is encouraging, really. Thank you for writing such nice things. :

**Liljake**: I don't really know what to say to your review? Uhh… I'm not even really sure what you're talking about. I'm sorry about that? I don't know much about The Avengers either, except that Captain fucking America replaced The Hulk and that the She-Hulk took the place of The Thing from Fantastic Four for a little while? ALSO: That movie comes out in 2011 and I'm dying in anticipation.

**Anyway**, we're moving forward. Sorry I haven't posted shit in a while, I can't really think of anything to write about… and the other night, when I was trying to write something neat, my computer just ate it and wouldn't give it back. :

Just so everyone knows… I don't really know jackSHIT about The Hulk other than that it is a ride at Universal Studios and that the movie totally rocked… so, if you're a hulk fanatic and you read my story are you aren't impressed? I'm sorry. Write your own shit.

Disclaimer: I don't own things, I just write things.

Sorry for a super long author's note! Vamos!

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It hadn't taken them long to find Bruce... they had Jarvis for these kinds of things. Cold, shivering and delusional, they found him behind a dumpster, and he allowed himself to be carted away between a man and a woman he only vaguely recognized. Sometime between here and there, he shifted, his head in the soft, sweet-smelling lap of a woman, and sighed, content. His hand absently rubbed against the back of her calf. _"Betty…"_

Hours, perhaps days later, he awoke in a soft, comfortable bed that seemed to cradle his tired body. He had been stripped of his clothing, bathed and shaven and placed in this rich bed that he wanted to lay in forever. His eyes rolled across the room. In a chair, a shirt, an undershirt, blue jeans and a pair of boxers had been laid out for him. With a sigh, he rolled back over and willed himself to sleep. Whatever.

Downstairs, Tony and Pepper chat over coffee and cheesecake, awaiting Bruce's wake. Delicately, Tony fed her a piece that he had shaved off with his fork. She smiled and placed her hand atop his. They spoke of marriage, children, baby names and wedding dates, Pepper's favorite color and why she liked white gold as opposed to yellow…

"When is Betty coming…?" He asked quietly. Pepper swirled her coffee cup.

"I'm not sure. Soon, I think." She glanced at the clock. "I think her flight arrives at 6:00… I'm glad she gets to see Bruce again since that whole incident with…her dad and…" She trailed off, watching the bubbles in her coffee mug twirl. A silence grew between them.

"Man, I hope if I turn into some raging, green monster, you'll chase me all over the country just to be with me." Tony chimed in. "I'd hate to be a big green bastard without my little redhead. " He smiled at her. She shook her head.

"Are you kidding? I'm the assistant to the great and powerful Iron Man… Betty has it easy." She joked, a bright smile on her face. They giggled, ate their cheesecake, held hands, y'know, mushy shit like teenagers do.

Four hours later left Betty standing in the carport of Tony Stark's mansion.

"Follow me, Miss Banner." Happy said politely, taking her hand. She nodded and followed him up a flight of stairs. When the two reached the top, Pepper was waiting for their arrival. Betty gasped and hurried to the other woman, hugging her close as they met.

"I've missed you so much… How have things been here?" Betty asked as they broke. Pepper sighed, but still smiled.

"Tony and I are so happy with the life we've made these days… It's just been wonderful. Oh, and," Pepper lifted her left hand, "We're getting married in a October." She smiled. Betty struggled through a smile at Pepper's words.

"Wow, Pepper… That is so incredible." She took Pepper's hand and examined the ring up close, "You must be so happy. This ring looks expensive!" She tried to banter.

"Only the best for Stark women." Tony's voice came from the entranceway to the kitchen. "Let's go see that man of yours." Tony motioned for her to follow him. Excited, she hurried, behind Tony up the stairs and to the guest bedroom, where Bruce was sitting on the edge of the bed, clad in the clothes Tony had given him. Betty stood in the doorway, just staring, almost disbelieving.

"Betty…" He looked up at her. She rushed to him with open arms and tackled him back onto the bed. Tony's eyebrows shot up. Betty frantically smoothed his hair back and kissed his cheeks and forehead as if he might vanish underneath her. Pepper approached the door.

"Tony, what are you – " she peeked in the door, "Oh. Oh my God. Tony, c'mon." Pepper quickly shut the door and led Tony back downstairs.

"It's not a bad idea, Pepper," Tony rubbed the back of his neck. Pepper sighed.

"Let's not be bad hosts, in case they finish before we do." Pepper looked sympathetic. The two found their way to the plush couch in the den, Pepper perched atop Tony's chest. She drew lazy circles on his arm, not chatting, not mumbling incoherent things, enjoying a comfortable silence and the warmth of the body they held in their arms. Around eleven, Tony carried Pepper to bed. They could talk to Betty and Bruce in the morning.

Upstairs, Betty and Bruce lay entwined, her head in the crook of his neck.

"I missed you." Betty whispered into him. He nodded.

"I've missed you too…. More than you know." He pressed his lips to her forehead.

* * *

**AN**: I had to finish what I started. I won't do it anymore, and I promise it won't be so long before I post again!


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